Scranton Bandit Charged in Double Robbery Spree

SCRANTON – The grim halls of justice echo with the sound of steel and determination as 23-year-old Scranton native Christian Gonzalez faces a federal charge for his alleged role in two bank heists that shocked the community. According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Gonzalez was indicted on January 17, 2017, by a federal grand jury for the daring robberies.

In what some are calling a ‘bandit binge,’ Gonzalez is accused of striking twice in as many months. His first target was the Citizens Savings Bank on Cedar Avenue, where he allegedly made off with approximately $2,000 on January 12, 2017. Just over a month later, on December 5, 2016, Gonzalez allegedly struck again at NBT Bank on Keyser Avenue, netting around $7,000.

The investigation into these alleged crimes was a joint effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scranton Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski leading the prosecution. Indictments are merely allegations; however, they carry a serious weight in the eyes of the law.

Despite the gravity of the charges against him, Gonzalez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The potential sentence for these offenses is steep, with federal law setting the maximum penalty at 40 years in prison, followed by supervised release and a fine. The actual sentence will depend on the specifics of the case, including the nature of the offense and the defendant’s history.

The public remains on edge as they await the outcome of this high-stakes legal drama. Whether Gonzalez’s alleged actions are indeed true or not, his name is now etched into the annals of Scranton’s criminal history.